HB 1411: More opinions available

Thursday, February 14, 2013

HB 1411: More opinions available

STATEHOUSE – House Bill (HB) 1411 authored by State Representative Tom Washburne (R-Evansville) and supported in committee by former-Chief Justice Randall Shepard was heard in the Courts and Criminal Code Committee Wednesday and passed onto the full House with a unanimous vote.

HB 1411 creates the Circuit Court and Superior Court Staff Attorney Pilot Program to give Indiana circuit and superior court judges assistance when preparing and writing dispositive motions, or opinions. The Indiana Judicial Center will create and administer the program and report to the Commission on Courts for possible implementation statewide after the two-year test model.

“In order for our courts to run as efficiently and effectively as possible, we need to support our judges so they can focus on doing their job,” Rep. Washburne said. “This two-year pilot program is a step toward increasing the efficiency of our state’s judicial system.”

Former-Chief Justice Randall Shepard, Kim Ottilie, the Vice President of Public Policy for the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Jane Segal, the Executive Director of the Indiana Judicial Center, all gave testimony in support of HB 1411. Support was also expressed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Indiana Judges Association and the Indiana Manufacturers Association.

“I was encouraged by the favorable support for this bill,” Rep. Washburne said. “It was an honor to meet and hear from former-Chief Justice Shepard on the legislation as well as the stakeholders who made this hearing a success. I look forward to input from the rest of the House and hopefully the Senate in the coming weeks.”

HB 1411 will be heard on second reading in the House next week. For more information regarding this bill or any other legislation in the General Assembly, visit www.in.gov/legislative.

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State Rep. Tom Washburne serves as Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Financial Institutions Committee and the Select Committee on Government Reduction. Rep. Washburne represents the entirety of Gibson County and portions of Knox, Pike, Vanderburgh and Posey counties.